Chapter 1

I was visiting the city aquarium with my mother-in-law over the weekend. Amid the jostling crowd, an impeccably dressed woman suddenly screeched in outrage:

"Are you two blind?! You bumped into my purse! Do you have any idea this is a limited edition?! If it gets scratched, can two broke bums like you even afford to replace it?!"

I replied coldly, "This is a public space, not your private estate. If you're so terrified of people touching your bag, why didn't you build your own private aquarium so you could admire it in peace?"

Embarrassed and furious, the woman snapped, "As a matter of fact, my husband did build this aquarium! What I say goes around here! I order you two to get the hell out right now! Don't dirty my floors!"

Both my mother-in-law and I froze.

This aquarium was clearly developed by my husband, Brandon Zhou. When on earth had he become "her" husband?

When the reality sank in, my entire body began to tremble.

Brandon was keeping a mistress!

My mother-in-law was shaking with rage too. She pointed straight at the woman's nose. "Where did this crazy lunatic come from?! Brandon is my son! His lawfully wedded wife is standing right here! Who do you think you are to come here spouting such utter nonsense?!"

Rebuked so harshly, the woman didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, she acted like she had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Two broke tramps like you, daring to pose as Mrs. Zhou Senior and Mrs. Zhou? You're going to make me die of laughter!"

My mother-in-law had intentionally dressed down today just to have a low-key, comfortable weekend outing. Who could have imagined her identity would be questioned because of it?

"Believe it or not, we never intended to pull rank, but this is indeed Zhou Enterprise property. The one who needs to get out is you!" my mother-in-law snapped sternly.

A mocking sneer tugged at the corner of the woman's mouth. Her gaze swept over my mother-in-law’s plain canvas tote like a scanner.

"Ha." She snorted derisively. "Putting on quite a show, aren't you? Everyone knows Brandon's mother lives in quiet seclusion, and Brandon's wife is always by his side attending high-end galas. Why would they dress in rags like yours and come squeeze through a crowded public aquarium? Who are you trying to fool?!"

Bystanders had already begun stopping in their tracks, watching with curiosity.

The whispered murmurs felt like tiny needles pricking into both of us.

My mother-in-law’s face flushed red, then drained completely pale. Her breathing grew ragged. I quickly grabbed her arm, terrified she might collapse from high blood pressure.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing our silence, the woman grew even more arrogant. She pulled out her phone, swiping dramatically. "Do you want me to call Brandon right now so he can come down here himself and expose you two frauds? Oh, right, he’s terribly busy at the moment. He doesn't have time to deal with pointless garbage."

My mother-in-law's lips turned purple with fury. I held her hand tightly, feeling her body shudder.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Getting into a public catfight with someone like this would only drag us down to her level and give her what she wanted.

"Call him," I said. My voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable chill. "Call Brandon right now. Put it on speaker. Let's all hear how he's too busy to deal with his lawfully wedded wife and the mother who raised him."

My composure clearly caught her off guard.

She paused for a second, but her aggressive posture immediately returned. "Oh, really playing the part, aren't you? Refusing to cry until you see the coffin, huh?"

She scoffed, flashing her phone screen toward us. Displayed prominently was Brandon's private number.

"See that? Brandon's private line! Is that something fakes like you could ever get your hands on?"

My heart felt as if an icy hand had gripped it tightly, aching to the point of suffocation.

Brandon... he had actually given his private cell to this woman.

All those late nights when he claimed he was working overtime or entertaining business clients, those faint, unfamiliar floral perfumes lingering on his collar—everything flooded into my mind at once, turning into razor-sharp blades.

More and more onlookers gathered, and the chatter grew louder.

The woman demanded that we pull out Brandon's number too, but my mother-in-law and I had rushed out the door in a hurry, neither of us bringing our phones.

Seeing that we couldn't produce our phones, the skeptical glances from the crowd shifted into open scrutiny and amused anticipation.

The woman raised her chin proudly, like a peacock spreading its feathers.

"I knew two broke bums like you wouldn't have it! Still standing here making fools of yourselves!"

My mother-in-law’s body shook violently—not from fear, but from sheer, unadulterated outrage. She had lived a life of dignity and elegance; never had she been subjected to such public humiliation. And to be pointed at by a cheap mistress who questioned her very existence as Mrs. Zhou Senior...

"You... you..." Her voice trembled so hard she couldn't form a full sentence.

Seeing this, the woman sneered again, fanning the flames. "You what? Can't keep the act up anymore? I suggest you know what's good for you and get the hell out of here before I have security throw you out. That would be quite an ugly scene."

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, a man in a manager's uniform pushed his way through the crowd.